


It's Only A Game Steve

by Esther_Summerson



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Friends to Lovers, I can't seem to help it, Insecure OFC, Ok so it's a little angsty, One Shot, POV First Person, People Watching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 14:50:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6333319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esther_Summerson/pseuds/Esther_Summerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trying to get the star spangled man with a plan to go on dates again is proving tricky, but you'll ease his way in to it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Only A Game Steve

"That dude brings me up to 12 yes's and 5 no's, how you getting on Steve?" I asked the slightly flustered super-soldier sitting opposite me at the cafe table. I had brought him here to my favourite Brooklyn coffee spot for a bit of fun, playing a game where we decided how many people, out of the first hundred that we saw, we would want to sleep with. Yes ok I had totally stolen the idea from that episode of Sex And The City, but it was a game that I still loved to play with my girlfriends. I had figured that it would be another step towards getting my best friend to go out on a date, but so far all he had done was drink his coffee and look embarrassed.  
"I'm not comfortable doing this, it feels a little judgemental doll." Steve muttered in reply, looking up from where had just put another two ticks in his no column bringing the total up to about 25, with only 2 ticks so far in his yes column. I didn't even bother holding back my exasperated sigh as I set my cappuccino cup back down.  
"We're not judging people Stevie, we are admiring them. And anyway it's just a bit of fun." I replied as I checked out the hot blonde walking in my direction, he was definitely another yes and I grinned as I put another tick in the column.  
"How exactly is it that you have so many yes's already?" Steve asked as he leaned over to take in my rapidly filling affirmative column.  
"Well for starters, as this is a hypothetical exercise, I am including girls as well as guys." I said grinning over at him. "And for another thing I'm not taking this as seriously as you, all we are looking for is people who you find attractive enough to sleep with Steve, not whether you want to marry them!"  
"Still feels dodgy to me," he replied.  
"I'm getting that love, loud and clear." I said to him, lowering my pen to the table and reaching out to take my coffee cup in both hands. "Steve you know why we're doing this right?"  
"Because you want me to get out into the world, and not be a lonely, ageing wallflower any more doll?" He said, a small smile not hiding the sadness in his eyes. I stood up and moved into the seat next to him, taking his hand in both of mine until he met my gaze.  
"Steve, I want you to be happy. You're my best friend, and I love you but you need something more. You're a part of this world now, and as painful as I know that transition has been for you you're still not really here. You need an anchor." I said to him quietly, squeezing his hand gently.  
"I'm fine as I am doll, I'm just not ready for relationships right now." He said, turning his gaze back to his coffee cup.  
"That's too many answers Stevie, and you know what that means. They're both crap, what is it that's really holding you back?"  
"I'm scared, I'm scared that I'll find the right person and they won't feel the same way. I'm scared that I'll run out of time again."  
"Oh Steve," I sighed as I leant my head down on his shoulder. I gave his hand another squeeze before sitting upright to look him in the eye once again. "Point number one, and this one I learned from my Grandda, if they're the right person they will feel the same way."  
"Yeah? And what about the second point, what if I find someone and then something happens and we still don't get to be together?"  
"You mean what if you meet another Peggy?" I asked quietly, leaning my head on his shoulder sadly.  
"Yeah doll," he replied on a whisper.  
"Do you regret knowing her? Meeting her, getting to know her? That kiss?" I whispered back.  
"Not even possible, she was as incredible then as she is now." A hint of a smile in his voice.  
"Then surely it's worth a risk if the reward is to find something as wonderful as that again?" I replied gently, knowing full well how strongly he had felt about Peggy before they were separated by time.  
There was a pause as he thought over my words. The silence between us was a comfortable one, as we sat together on a New York city sidewalk watching as life in Brooklyn passed us by.  
"How did you get to be so wise doll?" He asked, kissing the top of my head.  
"Well I'd say it was age but that hasn't done you any favours in the smarts department," I joked back, giggling a little as he poked me in the ribs.  
"Gosh you're so funny ma'am!"  
"What can I say, we can't all rely on our looks to get us through Stevie-boy. Someone has to be the 'funny one'." I joked back, standing and going back to my original seat.  
"What do you mean?" He asked, ignoring my half-serious joke.  
"You have looked in a mirror recently right? You know you're gorgeous?" I replied in all seriousness.  
"Yeah I'm getting that doll, I'm just a bit clueless as to why you seem to think you're not."  
"I have mirrors too Steve, I know I'm cute but there's nothing remarkable about me." I said, busying myself with my list as he continued to look at me aghast.  
"Wow, just wow!"  
"What?" I asked, looking up to see the shock on his handsome face. "What Steve?"  
"And you say I'm the one with a problem." He replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "You know you're beautiful right?"  
"Steve this isn't supposed to be about inflating my ego, this is about getting you open to the idea of romantic relationships again."  
"No it's apparently about getting you to see the truth about yourself." He replied, his tone bordering on his 'Captain America Commands' voice.  
"Can we drop this, please?" There was a whimper in my voice, I couldn't hide it. This conversation was edging ever closer to my own insecurities and I was getting steadily more uncomfortable.  
"I can't believe that you don't see it," Steve replied, his tone softening somewhat. That was it, I couldn't take any more of this, I stood up from the table and threw down enough money to cover our tab along with a generous tip.  
"You know what, I'm just gonna head back to the tower. I'm not feeling so well." I pulled my coat on, and tucked my cell phone back into my pocket. I wasn't quite able to look Steve in the eye as I said it though.  
"Hold, on a second then doll. Let me grab the bike and we can head back." He replied, pulling on his leather jacket and making a move to rise from the table.  
"No Steve, I need the fresh air. I'll see you back home." And I strode off, hearing his voice call out briefly before it was swallowed up by all the city noise.

Two hours, a walk through my favourite park, and a subway ride home later I made it back to the tower in time to see the sun go down. FRIDAY opened the elevator doors on my level and I made my way over to my apartment door, opening it I almost trod on the note which had been pushed underneath and was currently laying on my carpet. Stooping to pick it up, I immediately recognised Steve's scrawl across the front of it. I opened it to find a short note and a cartoon depiction of him sitting forlornly at the cafe table.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to force the issue doll.  
I guess a part of me was looking to be able to push the focus away from myself, I certainly didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable.  
I was hoping to be able to make it up to you though? Would you meet me on the roof at 8.30pm tonight, wear something nice?  
Steve"  
I chuckled at the image he had drawn on the bottom of the note, he did really look so very sad. I put the note down on my hall table and looked up at my reflection shown in the mirror behind it, sighing as I took in my ordinary features, my seriously windswept hair.  
"Ah well, suppose I'd better get started if I'm to be ready in time." I said to myself.  
An hour later I was taking the elevator to the roof, taking Steve's request to heart I had pulled out a vintage inspired dress from the back of my closet, teaming it with a pair of simple black heels. My make up I kept neutral as I never bothered with much anyway, and my hair was pulled up into a neat knot on the back of my head. I must confess that I was nervous at the thought of seeing Steve after our earlier run-in, but I was definitely intrigued as to how he was planning on making it up to me.  
The doors opened onto the roof terrace, and what was already a beautiful garden space had been transformed by the addition of hundreds of fairy lights. Candles stood clustered around the edges, in tall glass sconces to protect them from the slight breeze. Music was playing gently, some soft song from the fifties that seemed to drift out into the night. It was so beautiful that I lost my words, it was breathtaking. But I couldn't see the architect. I wasn't early so where was he?  
"I'm so pleased you came doll," Steve said from behind me on the right. He had obviously been leaning against the wall waiting for me. He'd gone to some trouble with his appearance as well, dressed smartly in a dark three piece suit.  
"Steve," I whispered in awe. "This is so beautiful, you didn't need to go to all this trouble." He reached over to take my hand and led me into the middle of the candlelit garden.  
"May I have this dance?" He asked, bowing over my hand.  
"Seems only fair when you've gone to all this effort to ask me." I replied smiling. He pulled me into his arms and we started rotating slowly to the gentle beat of the music, I recognised it now and hummed along under my breath as Steve held me close.  
"This is a very elaborate apology you know," I said as I pulled away slightly so that I could see his face. "You could just have turned up at my place with a pizza and a cold six pack."  
"Then that would have been like the other evenings we've spent together, and I wanted this one to be different." He replied as he pushed me out into a spin before pulling me back in to his chest.  
"Different how?"  
"Well I was given some advice today by a dear friend, and I didn't want to let the grass grown beneath my feet before doing something about it." He said smiling down at me. "Something about taking a risk so that I could reap the reward."  
"And you decided that taking me dancing on the roof of the tower was a risk huh? I know I'm not the most graceful of beings, but come on Stevie that's just plain rude." I replied, looking up at him with a grin.  
"Hmm, and if I were to tell you that you were as graceful as Nat would you believe me doll?" He said, smiling softly down at me.  
"Probably not, but then I'm used to your nonsense by now."  
"You look beautiful you know, I should have said it before. But then I always think you look beautiful sweetheart." He whispered close to my ear. I shivered as the meaning behind his words sunk in.  
"Steve?"  
"So here's the thing, I have this friend. And she is fierce, kind, generous, funny, honourable and so so beautiful, but I don't know how to tell her that I'm in love with her." He said, moving us round in gentle circles beneath the starlit sky. "What should I do? What would you do if you were me?"  
"I think you've got the scene pretty well set here Stevie, I mean you've got the candles, the starlight. The Flamingos are definitely working for you, and if that wasn't enough there's how handsome you are in that suit." I whispered finding my voice again. I gathered up all my courage, and a little of my usual sarcasm before trying to speak again. "So next step is to tell her how you feel and if she feels the same way you can move onto the kissing."  
"That simple huh?" He replied looking down at me, that smile of his just tugging at the corner of his gorgeous mouth.  
"Well it sounds simple, but it takes guts. You can do it though, I believe in you Steve Rogers." I said returning his smile.  
"I love you sweetheart, I've been in love with you for a long time but I was too afraid to tell you. Afraid that I might lose you if you didn't feel the same way." He stopped dancing as he spoke, just pulled me in a little bit closer and waited for my response. I kept him waiting for a beat too long though. "So now you have to tell me how you feel so that we can get to the kissing."  
I smiled at his attempt at humour as he nervously waited for my answer. "Let's jump ahead a step." And raising myself up I pressed my lips tentatively to his, sighing as I felt the rightness of it all the way down to my toes. It was a breath, a heartbeat, and then he was kissing me back. I wound my arms around his neck, and his arms wrapped themselves around my back holding me impossibly close, and it was Fourth of July fireworks and Christmas all wrapped into one. Breaking apart, he rested his forehead against mine as we both fought for breath.  
"Well, that was.... yeah that was just......." I gasped out.  
"Incredible," he replied lowering his mouth to mine for the softest of kisses. "But technically you still haven't told me how you feel doll."  
"I love you too Steve, how could I not? You're the most wonderful man that I know." I whispered, resting my head against his chest as I tried to take in the sudden development in our relationship. I looked up at him as he grinned stupidly down at me. "I still don't know why you ......"  
His lips came crashing down on mine before I could finish the sentence, and I was caught up again in the delight of this man's mouth on mine. He slowed the kiss to the point where it was achingly sweet and brought a tear to my eye. Breaking the kiss, he swiped the tear from my cheek with his thumb and smiled down at me softly.  
"I can see you're going to be trouble, but if I have to kiss you everytime you have doubts about yourself then so be it." He joked softly, putting on his most self-sacrificing expression.  
"I think I can accept your methods Captain Rogers," I replied.  
"Good to hear doll, good to hear." And we started dancing again, turning round and around, wrapped up in each other's embrace and cradled by the knowledge of our love, one for the other.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always welcome, I'd love to know what you think x


End file.
